Cooling device for high pressure homogenizing apparatus

Abstract

A suspension contains a base material including a fine solid matter. The base material may be in the form of a semifluid matter. The base material is compressed with a high pressure. The compressed base material is passed through an orifice at a high speed. The orifice includes a small clearance defined between (a) the end of the movable valve provided slidably and rotatably in the length direction inside of the cylinder case and (b) the opposing wall surface of the cylinder case. For dispersion, to emulsification, crushing, and subdivision of the base material, there is provided a heat exchange unit including continuous conduits through which a cooling medium can flow, the conduits extending over a desired length in the length direction about the orifice as a source of heat.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A high pressure homogenizing apparatus having a cooling device, constructed to compress with a high pressure a suspension containing a fine base material or the base material in a form of a semifluid matter for dispersion, emulsification, crushing, and subdivision of the base material with a high pressure difference, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a cylinder case;   (b) a movable valve operable to be rotated in the cylinder case and slid in a length direction of the cylinder case;   (c) an orifice including a small clearance defined between an end of the movable valve and an opposing wall surface of the cylinder case, the compressed base material being passed through the orifice at a high speed; and   (d) a heat exchange unit provided in the cylinder case, the heat exchange unit including conduits continuously extending in the cylinder case over a desired length in the length direction of the cylinder case, the conduits being constructed to let a cooling medium flow therethrough, and the conduits extending radially of the orifice such that the orifice as a source of heat is surrounded by the conduits in the length direction of the cylinder case.   
     
     
         10 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the conduits of the heat exchange unit either meanderingly extend concentrically with each other when viewed in cross sections thereof or extend spirally inside of the cylinder case. 
     
     
         11 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchange unit is either provided in a portion of at least one cylinder block body from among a plurality of cylinder block bodies constituting the cylinder case, the portion of the at least one cylinder block body corresponding to an internal-pressure-adjustment-valve installation section within which the orifice is provided. 
     
     
         12 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 11 , further comprising the conduits of the heat exchange unit extending in an exterior body attached to an external surface of the cylinder case, the conduits meanderingly extending concentrically with each other when viewed in cross sections thereof or spirally in the exterior body. 
     
     
         13 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the cooling medium is selected from tap water, oil, gas, cooled tap water, cooled oil, or cooled gas. 
     
     
         14 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the cooling medium is allowed to flow into the meandering conduits from a lower side of the cylinder case, to be passed through the meandering conduits toward an upper side of the cylinder case, and then to be exited from the meandering conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the orifice has a small clearance between 1/100 millimeters and 1/200 millimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The high pressure homogenizing apparatus having the cooling device as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the suspension or the base material in the form of the semifluid matter is adjusted so as to have an internal pressure from 100 MPa to 250 MPa.